Mike Rashid

Yeah, well, I'm from Brooklyn, New York, and I grew up in the 80s. So we like to call it the cocaine 80s.

There you go. So, you know, as you can imagine, it was a very truculent time, right? Very volatile times. And... I'm talking about, it was infestation of crack in our community, especially my neighborhood, especially my house, because my stepfather was one of the biggest drug dealers in New York. So our house corrupted our entire area. Literally, I lived there. Yeah, so I seen a lot.

There you go. So, you know, as you can imagine, it was a very truculent time, right? Very volatile times. And... I'm talking about, it was infestation of crack in our community, especially my neighborhood, especially my house, because my stepfather was one of the biggest drug dealers in New York. So our house corrupted our entire area. Literally, I lived there. Yeah, so I seen a lot.

There you go. So, you know, as you can imagine, it was a very truculent time, right? Very volatile times. And... I'm talking about, it was infestation of crack in our community, especially my neighborhood, especially my house, because my stepfather was one of the biggest drug dealers in New York. So our house corrupted our entire area. Literally, I lived there. Yeah, so I seen a lot.

We had, I mean, we had multiple houses on that block. We owned stores around the corner and we had a mansion in Long Island. So I was it was like a movie, you know, and I've seen a lot of things that a kid probably shouldn't see. However, I am thankful of some of the things that I experienced because none of it broke me. I'm still here and my mind is intact.

We had, I mean, we had multiple houses on that block. We owned stores around the corner and we had a mansion in Long Island. So I was it was like a movie, you know, and I've seen a lot of things that a kid probably shouldn't see. However, I am thankful of some of the things that I experienced because none of it broke me. I'm still here and my mind is intact.

We had, I mean, we had multiple houses on that block. We owned stores around the corner and we had a mansion in Long Island. So I was it was like a movie, you know, and I've seen a lot of things that a kid probably shouldn't see. However, I am thankful of some of the things that I experienced because none of it broke me. I'm still here and my mind is intact.

Honestly, I think I have somewhat of a stronger mind for the fact that I did experience so many not so ideal things and figured it out. So, you know, I was exposed to a lot, you know, and we were rich. And then he died and then we were poor. So financially poor.

Honestly, I think I have somewhat of a stronger mind for the fact that I did experience so many not so ideal things and figured it out. So, you know, I was exposed to a lot, you know, and we were rich. And then he died and then we were poor. So financially poor.

Honestly, I think I have somewhat of a stronger mind for the fact that I did experience so many not so ideal things and figured it out. So, you know, I was exposed to a lot, you know, and we were rich. And then he died and then we were poor. So financially poor.

Well, this was my stepfather.

Well, this was my stepfather.

Well, this was my stepfather.

It ended. I mean, you live by the sword, you die by the sword. He died by the sword. He definitely lived by the sword. So he died by the sword, you know, and the whole empire collapsed like that. Like that. Because when you're living that kind of life... Sometimes some people can transition out of it, but a lot of times people are just spending as fast as they're getting.

It ended. I mean, you live by the sword, you die by the sword. He died by the sword. He definitely lived by the sword. So he died by the sword, you know, and the whole empire collapsed like that. Like that. Because when you're living that kind of life... Sometimes some people can transition out of it, but a lot of times people are just spending as fast as they're getting.

It ended. I mean, you live by the sword, you die by the sword. He died by the sword. He definitely lived by the sword. So he died by the sword, you know, and the whole empire collapsed like that. Like that. Because when you're living that kind of life... Sometimes some people can transition out of it, but a lot of times people are just spending as fast as they're getting.

There's no real infrastructure set up. There's no, you know, they're not parlaying that into legitimate businesses. So it fell fast and we had to deal with that. So that was interesting. But one thing about us as human beings is we are successful as a species because we're so resilient, you know? Excuse me, I used to have a driver to school, right?

There's no real infrastructure set up. There's no, you know, they're not parlaying that into legitimate businesses. So it fell fast and we had to deal with that. So that was interesting. But one thing about us as human beings is we are successful as a species because we're so resilient, you know? Excuse me, I used to have a driver to school, right?

There's no real infrastructure set up. There's no, you know, they're not parlaying that into legitimate businesses. So it fell fast and we had to deal with that. So that was interesting. But one thing about us as human beings is we are successful as a species because we're so resilient, you know? Excuse me, I used to have a driver to school, right?

I went from that to like nothing, to real poverty. And I was fine. Like, I don't recall my childhood being of lack, even though we didn't have, even though we had nights where, you know, my mother had to light candles for lights, right? She had to hold me on the couch because she's scared and I'm scared and we don't have any power or the power will go out. It's cold, right?